Reflective Teaching and Professional Development

My own professional development has been greatly enhanced by engaging in a reflective practice, more specifically teaching. In this thesis, the notion of reflective practice not only guided my professional development as a science teacher, but also influenced my lived experiences in the classroom. In other words, reflective practice extended ‘layers of action and mutual understanding that are instantly and often unreflectively realised in everything teachers [such as I] do in constantly changing situations (my technologically informed classroom)’ (Van Manen, 1999: 3). In fact, all the things that I did with the learners in relation to teaching science through educational technologies had a positive pedagogical significance. My professional development as a teacher was informed by what Van Manen (1999: 4) refers to as ‘knowledge in practice’ – that is, knowledge resides in my teaching style, in my gestures and demeanour, in my classroom, and in the relations of trust and intimacy with the learners. Moreover, through reflective teaching I was also struck by how eloquent learners can be if we are prepared to listen to them attentively and to speak about their learning experiences. I hopefully became smarter in my relations with the learners I taught. In this regard, Van Manen (1999: 6) makes the point that ‘much of knowing what to do, ensues from the complex dimensions of practice: one’s body,

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actions, relations, and the things of one’s world’. In a way, my professional development as a teacher became ‘embodied’ in the context of my encounters with learners in a science classroom and the ways in which we used educational technologies.

I shall now reflect in more detail on my own professional development in relation to the use of educational technologies as I endeavoured to make science teaching and learning more critical. Firstly, as a novice teacher with just under three years of teaching experience, my life sciences colleagues had confidence in me to teach the content of the curriculum well. This I know because both of them (senior teachers at SPHS) consulted me on several occasions to teach lessons on genetics and evolution, and were highly impressed with my level of competence and teaching strategies in making the content known. But it was when I demonstrated to them how one could use a cell phone to teach a lesson via Microsoft Power Point, that they became more interested in my skills to teach the life sciences. So, my professional development was greatly enhanced by the better pedagogical relationships that ensued as a result of using educational technologies in my science classrooms. However, there were also moments that I felt that my colleagues were not entirely happy (so it seemed) with the fact that I could do things in my teaching that they were perhaps not capable of doing. And it also happened that my life sciences question papers were over-zealously scrutinised, and one of my colleagues actually tried to humiliate me for what, according to him, appeared to have been sloppy work. I soon learnt that as a teacher there would arise moments of professional jealousy among colleagues that I might not have anticipated. For instance, another senior teacher who returned from leave made me feel incompetent because, according to her, I had neglected the TRAC laboratory at school. This all happened, I think, as a result of the

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fact that I introduced some new ways of teaching the life sciences at school. I realised that my innovative efforts to improve the teaching of life sciences possibly affronted others or perhaps exposed their lack of use of such forms of innovation. Instead, I became more confident to the extent that I had more reason to complete this study.

Secondly, my reflective approach to teaching life sciences also brought me in close contact with the management of SPHS. I am aware that the management is very intent on ensuring ‘discipline’ in the classrooms because (as I was told) a school environment has to be conducive to successful learner performance. But having used my reflective approach to teaching life sciences, I often ‘disrupted’ the quietude of the classroom, perhaps to the disappointment of some of my colleagues. Also, the fact that I took learners on excursions (with them perhaps missing out on other lessons) soon brought me into partial conflict with some of my senior colleagues, who experienced my teaching approach as somewhat ‘disruptive’. Fortunately I could liaise with the principal, who not only encouraged innovative teaching in relation to the sciences (he also is a life sciences teacher), but also supported my own professional development, partly because was pursuing doctoral studies.

Thirdly, the fact that I confidently co-operated with the learners meant I could also deal more professionally with their parents during meetings and often shared my reflective approach to teaching life sciences with some of them. I also realised that learner performance was not just about scoring good marks, but also about becoming a better person – that is, how learners relate and communicate with others, and how they conduct themselves ethically. Through such a critical approach I, in a sense, entered the life spaces of learners – being attenuated to them, I experienced

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them. In addition, I would also regularly share my initial successes in using educational technologies in the classroom with family members, who often commented and offered sound advice. In a way my own professional development was extended to the private sphere of my home.

Fourthly, I am always trying out new ways of teaching science through the use of educational technologies. So, my research skills have also improved. Even the writing of this thesis can be considered as an extension of my professional development into the public sphere. Likewise, I also developed professionally by having been asked by my supervisor to present my initial findings to a group of science teachers at Stellenbosch University’s Faculty of Education, in particular the findings related to how educational technologies can be integrated into science teaching and learning.

Finally, by far the most important shift I have made in my own professional development is to connect my science teaching in school to the epistemological advances made at university level. I became involved in a project that included other science teachers in the Western Cape, teachers from Wisconsin (United States), WCED officials and academics from Stellenbosch University. My engagement with others contributed towards my professional growth. I realised that life sciences can be better taught and learnt at school level in deliberation with others, because our potentialities are continuously evoked during discussions with others. I now consider myself to be a legitimate member of a community of practice.

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